Williamstown Theatre News

HERO Theatre has announced that Joe Manganiello of HBO's True Blood and feature film Magic Mike has joined previously announced Emmy Award winner William H. Macy, star of Showtime's Shameless and Academy Award nominee for Fargo, in a benefit reading of Tennessee Williams' "Small Craft Warnings", directed by John Frank Levey. The benefit will be held on Sunday, July 29 at 6pm at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, CA. The event will include a silent auction.

Jesse Eisenberg, the actor and playwright who's best known for his Oscar-nominated turn in THE SOCIAL NETWORK and whose play ASUNCION played the Rattlestick Playwrights Theater last year, will bring a new play to the 2012-13 Rattlestick season.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced today two family programs for the 2012 season: the 25th Anniversary Production of Free Theatre, The Valley of Fear adapted by Steve Lawson from the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the inaugural year of the Family Friday Workshops, which gives young people aged 8-14 an inside look at the Festival.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced today the full cast and creative team for The Elephant Man, which will be presented on the Nikos Stage from July 25 through August 5 (opening July 26).

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the eight musicals selected to be part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

In response to overwhelming demand, amid extraordinary critical acclaim, Soho Rep, in association with John Adrian Selzer, extends the world premiere of CHEKHOV'S UNCLE VANYA-the new version by playwright Annie Baker, directed by Sam Gold-through August 26.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten has announced the opening of the first two productions of the 2012 season: The Importance of Being Earnest on the Main Stage and the World Premiere of The Blue Deep on the Nikos Stage on June 28. It is the first time in the Festival's 58-year history that two shows have opened on the same night to kick-off the season.

The Huntington Theatre Company announces the inaugural Summer Workshop, a two-week new work retreat for selected members of the Huntington's Playwriting Fellows program. The artist-driven workshop will occur July 10 - 22

The day will commence with a Fourth of July Parade at 11:00am with appearances from stars of the Williamstown Theatre Festival 2012 season followed by the annual Reading of the Founding Documents at WCMA at 1:30pm. The celebration comes to a close with a performance of David Hyde Pierce's hilarious new production of The Importance of Being Earnest at 7:30pm.

Original Broadway cast member Jared Gertner will star as Elder Cunningham in the First National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, launching in Denver from August 14-September 2 at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Gertner will join previously announced Gavin Creel as Elder Price. Samantha Marie Ware joins as Nabulungi, as well as Grey Henson as Elder McKinley and Kevin Mambo as Mafala Hatimbi.

The stars of the upcoming revival of JEKYLL & HYDE, Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages) and Grammy Award Nominee Deborah Cox (Aida), will host the 4th annual National High School Musical Theater Awards tonight, June 25th at 7:30pm at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (200 W 45th St). The show will feature 60 of America's most talented young musical theater performers vying for the "Jimmy Award" for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor. Winners will be awarded college scholarships and other prizes will be announced live.

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events in the theatre world? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced today the full cast and creative teams for Last of the Red Hot Lovers, which will be presented on the Nikos Stage from July 11 through July 22 (opening July 12), and the Preview Production of Far From Heaven, which will play the Main Stage from July 19 through July 29 (opening July 21). Both shows begin rehearsals today in preparation for their runs at the Festival.

As part of the current three-play Royal Court at the Duke of York's Season with Posh by Laura Wade, Jumpy by April De Angelis and Constellations by Nick Payne, four of the UK's leading playwrights will direct one of their all-time favourite plays in a series of one-off afternoon readings from 29 June at the Duke of York's Theatre in a special event supported by The Ambassador Theatre Group. Nick Payne, Polly Stenham, Roy Williams and David Eldridge will select their favourite plays and will have less than two days to bring their vision to life with a full cast to be announced for staged readings on Friday afternoons this summer.

Westport Country Playhouse stages the National Book Award-winning memoir, "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion, now through June 30, featuring noted actress Maureen Anderman as Didion. Directed by Nicholas Martin, the play is based on the author's actual experience rebuilding her life during the year after her spouse's death and her capacity to emerge strengthened from even the most shattering of life's trials. Watch the video below for behind-the-scenes interviews with Artistic Director Mark Lamos, Director Nicholas Martin and actor Maureen Anderman!

The company of ANYTHING GOES will welcome Joyce Chittick as 'Erma' beginning tonight and continuing through July 31.